Vermont Board of Medical Practice · MD

30 hours. Every two years. Due November 30 of even years.

A source-verified guide to Vermont's CME requirements for physicians — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from VBMP~6 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Vermont has a separate osteopathic board. See Vermont DO CME requirements →

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 18, 2026

Mandatory topics

For physicians, 30 hours is the total CME requirement. Vermont also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 30-hour total.

Palliative care[1]
1 hr
Biennial
Universal for all Vermont physicians. The rule is written as an either/or — a single qualifying hour on any one of those subjects satisfies the requirement. Counts toward (not in addition to) the 30-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“hospice/palliative care/end-of-life care/pain management (1 credit required for all licensees).”
VBMP CME Hour Requirements FAQ (Aug 2024)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Vermont cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalOpioid / controlled substances[1]
2 hrs
Biennial

Physicians who have or have applied for DEA registration

View sourceVerbatim from source
“prescribing of controlled substances (2 credits required only for licensees who have or have applied for DEA registration).”
VBMP CME Hour Requirements FAQ (Aug 2024)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Vermont Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
AMA PRA Category 1
min 30 hrs
All 30 hours must be AMA PRA Category 1. E credit and P credit do not qualify — the Vermont board explicitly calls this out.SourceVBMP CME Hour Requirements FAQ (Aug 2024)[1]
Documentation & audit

Certificates are not submitted at renewal, but documentation must be retained for all credits claimed; the Board conducts an audit after every renewal cycle and licensees selected at random must produce certificates.[1]

Waivers & exemptions

Newly licensed physicians held less than one year as of the November 30 renewal date have no CME requirement at first renewal.[1]

Physicians who have held their license 1-2 years as of the November 30 renewal date must complete 15 hours of CME (prorated).[1]

Non-active-practice licensees are NOT exempt — they must still complete the full 30 hours including the two mandatory subjects.[1]

Physicians short on CME may file a make-up plan in accordance with Board Rule 24.3.[1]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Vermont physicians need?
For the 2024 physician license renewal, the requirement for most is 30 hours of AMA PRA Category 1.[1] Embedded in that 30-hour total are two smaller content requirements: at least 1 hour addressing hospice/palliative care/end-of-life care/pain management (universal) and at least 2 hours addressing prescribing of controlled substances (conditional on DEA registration). DOs are licensed through a separate Board of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons administered by the Secretary of State's OPR — Layer 1 could not scrape the osteopathic-board rules.
Are there mandatory CME topics in Vermont?
Yes. One credit is required for all licensees on hospice/palliative care/end-of-life care/pain management, and 2 credits are required only for licensees who have or have applied for DEA registration on controlled substance prescribing.[1] Both subject-specific sets of hours count toward the 30-hour total rather than being added on top of it. Federally, the MATE Act imposes a one-time 8-hour opioid/substance use disorder training on all DEA-registered practitioners, attested at DEA registration/renewal.
Where can I check my Vermont medical license renewal date?
The Vermont Board of Medical Practice maintains an online licensing portal at mpb.health.vermont.gov. Full physician licenses issued by the Board expire on November 30 of every even-numbered year. The 30-hour CME window runs December 1 of even-numbered years through November 30 of the following even-numbered year.[1]
Are newly licensed Vermont physicians subject to the full 30-hour requirement?
No. Physicians who have held their Vermont license less than one year at the November 30 renewal date have no CME requirement at first renewal.[1] Physicians who have held their license 1-2 years must complete 15 hours of CME (prorated). The full 30-hour requirement applies once the license has been held for 2+ years. The mandatory topics are required whenever the CME requirement itself applies.
Do Vermont DOs follow the same CME rules as MDs?
No — DOs are licensed under a separate statute (26 V.S.A. Chapter 33) by a separate board (the Vermont Board of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons under § 1791), administered through the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation rather than the Department of Health. Per 26 V.S.A. § 1836(c), Vermont DOs must complete 'a minimum of 30 hours of continuing medical education, during the preceding two-year period.' In 2026 the numerical total (30 hours/biennial) coincides with the MD requirement, but the statutory, regulatory, and administrative frameworks are distinct. The 2024 VBMP Rule expressly defines 'Physician' as allopathic only: 'It does not mean doctor of osteopathy when used in this rule unless specified.' DO-specific mandatory topics and accepted credit types are set by osteopathic-board rule via OPR rulemaking and were not retrievable from primary sources.
Do Vermont MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
Vermont DOs are licensed by the Vermont Board of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons under 26 V.S.A. § 1836, administered through the Secretary of State's OPR — a separate authority from the Vermont Board of Medical Practice. Per 26 V.S.A. § 1836(c), DOs must complete a minimum of 30 hours of CME per biennial period, matching the MD total. Mandatory topics and accepted credit types for DOs are set by osteopathic-board rule and were not retrievable from primary sources during Layer 1 scraping (sos.vermont.gov returned 403). See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/vermont/osteopathic) for the complete osteopathic requirements.

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Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. CME Hour Requirements FAQ — Vermont Board of Medical Practice (August 2024)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “Vermont law requires physicians licensed by the Board of Medical Practice to complete continuing medical education training in each two-year license period. For the 2024 physician license renewal, the requirement for most is 30 hours of AMA PRA Category 1™. There are two subjects that must be part of the required CME: prescribing of controlled substances (2 credits required only for licensees who have or have applied for DEA registration) and hospice/palliative care/end-of-life care/pain management (1 credit required for all licensees). Please Note: E credit and P credit is not the same as AMA PRA Category 1™ credits. … If, as of November 30, 2024, you have held your Vermont physician license for less than one year, there is no requirement for CME at the time of the first renewal. … If as of November 30, 2024, you have held your Vermont physician license for more than one year but less than two, the requirement is to have completed at least 15 hours of CME … What if I am not actively practicing medicine, but want to keep my Vermont license active? You will need to renew your license and you will still be required to take 30 hours of CME, including the two subjects listed above. … I don't have enough credits. What do I do? File a make-up plan in accordance with Board Rule 24.3. … Do I need to submit certificates? No, but be sure that you have documentation for all credits you claim. The Board conducts an audit after every renewal cycle. Licensees who are selected at random must then produce certificates.”VBMP CME FAQ (Aug 2024)
    “hospice/palliative care/end-of-life care/pain management (1 credit required for all licensees).”VBMP CME Hour Requirements FAQ (Aug 2024)
    “prescribing of controlled substances (2 credits required only for licensees who have or have applied for DEA registration).”VBMP CME Hour Requirements FAQ (Aug 2024)
  2. 26 V.S.A. § 1400 — Renewal of license; continuing medical education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Vermont Board of Medical Practice, or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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